Improvement in life-boats



Wdiriilia patat am@ "Bonner nnMBLEor MILWAUKEE,

Vwisconsin.

Lettersratentno. lamented ottoberigisro.

IMPROVEMENT IN LIFE-BOATS.

The Schedule referredto these Letters Patent and making part of the same.

To all whom, it may concern Be it known that I, ROBERT HUMBLE, ofthe cityV and county of Milwaukee, and'State of Wisconsin,4 have invented a new. and improved ,Life-Boat, designed to be carried on vessels, ships, and Steamers, Vwhile* at sea, tobeused in case of-accident, or to be kept at stations and points on dangerouscoasts,I and to be employed in rescuing' and saving persons and property in case of shipwreck;` and I do declarethat the following'isarfnll and exact description of my invention, reference being had vtothe accompanying drawing.

i The nature of my invention ,donsistsin constructing a boat of two principal parts, which, in combination and conjun'ction', form a complete whole to subserve the purposedesgned.

The onepart is a` hollow water-tight cylinder vor tube; the other` is.- a boat, `constructedwithin the former. l

lhe combination is such that the cylinderor tube is made toicompletely surround the boat built within it,a nd when required to revolve aboutit, the `surrounding part shielding and `.lnotecting the structure within, and its attachments Tand contents from the i violence of the waves,.serving not only as an incaseinent, but, byits action and` a proper balancing, and adjustment of the inclosed` parts, greatly increasing the facility and safety of launching, no matter what the contents, or iii-what manner it is cast into the water. Y A

In explanation of referenceis made to the drawing, as follows:

Figure 1 represents a perspective view of the boat as complete. l

' Figure 2 represents alongitndinal section through center of trunnicns and air-pipes.`

Figure 3, a horizontal section through center of trnnnions and air-pipes.

Figure 4, a transverse section looking 'toward the sterniofthe boat. y

Figure 5, a transverse section, looking toward the bow of theboat. i Y

The same letters of the alphabet are used to indicate like parts in the structure or machinery.

The following is a'speciiied description of the parts,` and their relations and uses, as shown by diagram `designated Figure 2.l

' .A A, the hollow water-tightcylinder or tube, outside of and surrounding the interior structure and its `belongings,"the walls of which arefdesigned to be as 'thine-nd shell-like as the strength required, and the nature of the material used, will permit. .B 'Brand C C, the bearingsand stuliingboxes, accurately bored, and firmly attached to either end of the cylinder or tubc,iand as nearly at the center o'f each end as maybe practicable or desirable.

hh h represent the hatchways, with their covers.

the construction and design,`

having rubberV joints, and these covers may be. so.

constructed as to admit light when closed, by means of the use of thick glass, fastened in strong framework. The covers may be secnredwheu closed, by screws or otherwise.

I I indicate-the interior part or the boat proper,

with hollow trunnions attached to each end,"fitted so as to work smoothly iu the bearings and stuffingboxes B Band C (l, and around which, as points of support, the hollow cylinder or tube revolves.

F F are pipes,.rinly fastened to the trnnnions T Tby screws or otherwise, intended to extendwahove the top of the boat.

' .'l l are hollow trunnions, fastened to each end of l the interior part or-boat, passing through the hollow cylinder or tube at each end at the bearings and stuffing-boxes B B and C C.

V V are valves in each pipe at the top, as shown in the drawing, designed to admit both light and air Y Vwhen opened, and the aperture into which they are fittedis designed to be large enough to permit a man to pass in or out easily.

. These valves may be closed and opened by floats 'outside oft/he pipes, or by rods, as seen in the dia- 0Vrain. .f Y b Q are lookonts or round windows, which may be closed permanent-ly by thick glass, or as the portholes of a ship. w

n and q represent ratchet-wheels, ysecurely aixed to the inner side of the hollow cylinder A A.

S S S are seats in the internal part of the boat.

W is a steering-wheel, attached to a shaft, which commnnicates'with-the beveled wheel- 1, the ylatter attached to the rudder-stem z.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section, showing rods c e, to which handles are xed, designed to illustrate the mode of propelling the boat by hand, the'motion being imparted to the rods e e by the small handles attached, is communicated -to the lever K, and from thence, by means ofthe shaft l, to the wheel t, although it is claimed that the boat may be propelled by the use or application of any kind of power.

. Figs. 4. and 5 are transverse sections.

` AA is the cylinder ort'ube, surrounding the in ternal boat or part, to which are bolted the ratchetwheels u a g1g, the beveled teeth of which wheels are vreversed, or, as commonly termed, right-and-lefthanded.

"I I? are pawl-levers, attached to the internal boat V I I, and are intended to be used to turn the cylinder,

and bring it in such position as shall canse the hatchways to' be at the top.

' These levers, as'shown in hg. 4, are in gear, locking or fastening the external cylinder, thereby keep ing it in position, and preventing it fromrevolving.

' Fig 5 shows the levers I? I out of gear, allowing the cylinder A A. to revolve freely upon the trnnmons.

R R is :L han( -rail, attached to the pipes F F, as shown in figs. l, 4, and 5, to which life-lines may be attached.

l. An improved life-bont, constructed with the exterior hollow water-tight shell A A made in any desirable shape or form, and of any suitable-materials, with bearings and stuling-boxes B B and C G at each end, and with the internal structure I I, to which, at each end, is firmly attached lthe hollow trunnions T T and air-pipes F F.

2. The combination of a. Water-tight shell or case A, provided at each end with bearings or stungboxes B C, with an internal structure or frame I mounted therein on its truunions T T, substantially as described, for lifeboat purposes, as set forth.

3. The tubular1 passage F F, in combination with the hollow trunnions T T, when constructed and arvranged substantially as'described, `for the purpose of ROBERT' HUMBLE. v 

